Fishhook spreader



July 13, 1954 EN ELM N 2,683,324

FISHHOOK SPREADER Filed Aug. 9, 1951 THEM-1E 32 m TE: 4: INVENTOR- Patented July 13, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application August l), 1951, Serial No. 241,063

. Claims. 1

This invention relates to fish-hook spreader and in particular to improvements in a self-stabilizing and self-standing spreader.

Fish-hook spreaders have been employed here- I tofore to separate two hooks on a single line at the same depth; however the several devices of l the prior art have not proven entirely satisfactory inasmuch as the prior spreaders tilt relative to the line and sinker so as to become tangled therewith and tend to tip'over and fall down onthe bottom of thelake or stream. With the foregoing in view, the primary object of the presentinvention is to provide a fish-hook v spreader with a float so that the device always j stands straight up on the bottom in definite adjusted' spaced relation thereto.

An object of the invention is to provide a substantially rigid center leg having a float at the member havingrelatively closely spaced leg and arm receiving apertures at the top and relatively --.widely-spaced leg and arm receiving apertures at }the bottom so as to project the arms outwardly of the leg in the up position and to compactly cross'and recross the arms relative to the leg in the down position.

An object of the invention is to provide a spreader which can be compactly collapsed and "easily adjusted to varythe spread of the arms as desired.

.the arms and to interconnect the arms with each.

An object of the invention is to provide a closed clip to securely interconnect the leg and other.

. These andother objects of the inventionwill f become apparent by reference to the following description of .a' fish-hook. spreader embodying the invention taken in connection with the ac-. cornpanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational View of the spreade in spread submerged condition showing baited hooks in separated relationship.

' -Fig.. 2 is a side elevational view of the spreader extending resilient spreader arms I2 and [3 at-.

in collapsed condition for storing.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the slide. showing the apertured positions.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the clip showing the arm elbow receiving notches; and

Fig. 5 is a detail cross-sectional view of the clip, leg, arm, and elbow in integrated relationship.

Referring now to the drawing wherein like numerals refer to like and corresponding parts throughout the several views, the fish-hook spreader disclosed thereinto illustrate the invention comprises 'a center" leg ID, a float ll adjacent the top of the leg ID, a pair of oppositely 2 tached to the leg l0 below the float II, and a slide [4 movably mounted on the leg [0 and arms l2 and it so as to be capable of spreading or collapsing the arms l2 and I3 relative to the leg M.

More particularly, the leg H} is equipped with a line attaching loop l5 at its stopso as to attach the line l6 and a sinker attaching loop I! at its bottom so as to attach the. sinker H8. The arms I2 and i3 are respectively equipped ."with hook attaching loops 2i! and 2| for attaching the hooks by means of leaders 22 and 23. The clip I9 is a closed loop equipped with side notches 24 and 25 for receiving the elbows 26 and 21' respectively of the arms l2 and I3. The slide member l4 comprises a top slide plate 28 having relatively close-spaced apertures 29, 3B, and 3! and a preferably connected bottom slide plate 32 having relatively wide-spaced apertures 29A, 36A, and 31A. The apertures iii and 38A are centrally vertically aligned and house the leg It! in sliding relationship, whereas the apertures 29A and 3IA are offset laterally fromthe apertures 29 and 3| respectively so as to project and support the arms l2 and I3 outwardly of the leg H3 when the slide I i is in the up position. The float II is secured in position on the leg H] by the wooden peg 32 which forces the leg Ill into frictional engagement with the body of the float II.

The fishing line It is attached to the device via the loop i5 and a sinker I8 is attached to the device via the loop l7, and, as the loops l5 and I! are on the opposite ends of the leg iii, the leg I0 is tensioned between the line It and the sinker [8. As the float II is secured on the leg It at the top thereof adjacent the loop I5, buoyancy of the float ll causes the leg It to stand vertically upright on the bottom of the lake or stream with V the sinker l8 contacting the bottom thereby positioning the device in spaced relationship immediatelyabove the bottom. 'Ihe clip l9 interconnects the arms 12 and I3 so that tension and thrust on the arms l2 and i3 is transmitted to and resisted by each other. It will be noted that the arms [2 and I3 are normally shaped as shown in Fig. 1.of shape retaining material such as heat treated piano wire and therefore resists being collapsed when the slide Hi is moved from the position of Fig. 1 to the position of Fig. 2.

The added tension on the arms I2 and I3 is transferred to one another thereby relieving the leg l0 and the connection between the leg It and the clip [9 from any strain. In this connection it is important to note'that the outwardly projecting elbows 26 and 27 respectively on the arms j l2 and i3 contact the clip it inthe notches 2G and 25 in the side walls thereof and provide means for resisting tension placed on the arms l2, and I3. It is also important to note that the twisting, turning, or otherwise moving out of by the tension created at the slide i l.

do position. The clip l9, leg l0, arms 12 and I3, and. elbows 26 and 27, after being assembled are welded or soldered together .so that their mechanical structure is thoroughly integrated and secured.

The slide 14 slides from the position seen in Fig. 1 to the position seen in Fig. 2 collapsing the arms 12 and 13 from the position seen in .1 to the position seen in Fig. 2 so that the permanent bend in the arms 12 and i3 causes them to cross adjacent the clip 19 and to recross adjacent the slide Id when the slide M is positioned adjacent the sinker loop 4?. Due to the fact that the apertures 39 and 35A are vertically aligned the slide i i slides easily along the leg Id, and

due to the fact that the apertures 25: and 29A are aligned at an angle from the vertical substantially equal the angulation of the normal bend in the arm 1'2, and due to the fact that the apertures 3i and 3m are aligned from the vertical and are angled to substantially equal angulation of the normal bend the arm 23, the slide 14 easily moves from the position seen in Fig. 1 to the position seen in Fig. 2 with the arms sliding therethroug'h while maintaining a curvature therein.

When the slide i l is in the up position, Fig. 1, the outwardly angulated alignment of the apertures 29 and 29h and 3-1 and Bill position and support the arms 12 and 13 in the extended position seen in Fig. 1 which is frictionally secured In this connection it is important to note that the continuous loop constructed of the clip iii and the interconnection between slots 24 and 25 with the elbows '28 and 23 makes a stable connection direotly between the arms 12 and i3 and relieves the leg i l of stress which might otherwise be laid thereon.

When the fisher-man desires to use the device he attaches same to his line and attaches a sinker 1S thereon of such weight as to preferably just overbalan'ce in conjunction with the weight of the device-the'buoyancy of the float it so that when the device is placed in the water the sinker sinker touching the bottom, the buoyancy of the float H maintains the device in an upright position on a vertical line from the sinker 18 so that the arms I 2 and 13 are similarly position-ed thereby accurately locating the baited hooks 22 and right independently of itself, there is no necessity for tight line-fishing; also as the device s'elfl8 pulls the device to the bottom whereupon the locates itself relative to the bottom 50, there is no necessity for constantly checking hook position.

As the arms 12 and I3 and leg ID are made of relatively stiff material, when a fish is taken on either hook connected with the leaders 22' or 23 the tension between the hook and the line 15 may place the connecting arm in a substantially straight line therebetween; this action automatically moving the leg l0 and the other arm out of position of interference of either the line or the fish.

Although but a single embodiment'of the invention has been shown and described in detail,

it is obvious that many changes may be made in the size, shape, detail, and arrangements of the elements of the invention within the scope of the appended claims.

Iclaim:

1. A fish hook spreader comprising a center leg, a float on said leg adjacent the top thereof, a clip on said leg below said float and having oppositely disposed notches in the top thereof, a pair of oppositely extending resilient spreader arms, each having its inner end seated in said clip and being provided at such end with an outwardly projecting elbow disposed in the corresponding notch in said clip to secure said arms against rotation and displacement, and a slide on said leg below said clip engaging said arms and movable longitudinally of said leg to vary the position of said arms relative-to said leg, said slide in its top position acting to locate and support said arms in extended lateral position and in its clown position acting to-collapse said arms relative to said leg and to each other, said leg being adapted to carry a sinker at its bottom end whereby said float and sinker will cause the spreader to stand erect when submerged.

2. A fish hook spreader comprising a center leg, a clip on said leg adjacent one end thereof and having oppositely disposed notches in the top thereof, a pair of oppositely extending resilient spreader arms, each having its inner end seated in said clip and being provided at such end with an outwardly projecting elbow disposed in the corresponding notch in said clip to secure said arms against rotation and displacement, and a slide on said leg below said clip engaging said arms and movable'long-itudinally of said leg to vary the position of said arms relative to said leg, said slide in its top position acting to locate and support said arms inex'tended lateral position and in its down position acting to collapse said arms relative to said leg and to each other, said leg being adapted to carry a sinker at one end to submerge said spreader.

3. A fish hookspreader comprising a center leg, a clip on said leg adjacent one end thereof, a pair of oppositely extending resilient spreader arms, each of said spreader arms having its inner end seated in said clip, and a slide on said leg engaging said arms and movable longitudinally of said leg to vary the position of said arms relative to each other, said slide in one position acting to locate and support said arms in extended lateral position and in another position acting to collapse said arms relative to each other.

4. A fish hook spreader as set forth in claim 3 wherein said slide comprises a pair of connected plates, eac'hoi which is apertured for reception of'said leg and said arms, the apertures of one of said pair of plates being more closely spaced than the apertures of the other of said pair of plates.

5. A fish hookspreader as set forth in claim 3 wherein said center leg is provided at said one end with a float and at the other end with a sinker, said float and said sinker acting to maintain said spreader in an upright position when submerged.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,079,245 Hornby Nov. '18, 1913 1,352,979 Lawrence Sept. 14, 1 920 1,603,293 Pflueger Oct. .19, 1926 1,720,287 Moore July 9,1929 2,162,739 Mindek, Jr. June .20., 1939 FOREIGN "PATENTS Number Country Date 52,212 Norway Mar. 18, 1940 

